by Aubrey Cara
Her thin shoulders slump. “I was looking forward to working with you again.”
“Celia, I have zero doubt you’ll find another coldhearted cutthroat corporate bitch to make your life miserable.”
“I suppose.”
“I know you will.”
“It won’t be the same.”
“Of course not. And if you miss me too terribly, you know where to find me.” She scrunches her face in distaste, and I laugh. “Go pack your things and order me a car. It’s time I go home.” The word home has a much different meaning now. Instead of filling me with dread, it fills me with a sense of rightness.
I only hope I still have my two someones to come home to.
16
J ess
Jace and I haven’t talked about Madeline since she left. Hell, if we’ve said more than two words to each other, it’s been about work. I’m still not surprised when he pulls his bike up next to my car in the back parking lot of Wallace & Sons. The Pontiac he’d taken to driving around while Madeline was here has been relegated to the back of the pole barn since she left.
I grab my jacket off the passenger seat and shrug it on before closing the door. It’s starting to get dark, and the warmer temp of today is rapidly dropping. It’s going to be a crisp, cool fall evening.
“What’s with the projection screen?” he asks.
Set up behind our garage is a giant inflatable movie screen, with three Adirondack chairs facing it. A theater-style popcorn machine is off to one side. My heart is kicking in my chest. It’s Sunday, so the garage is closed, and I doubt this is the handiwork of any of our guys.
“Don’t know. I got a text from some out-of-state number saying to be here at six thirty.” I texted back, but there was no reply. I almost didn’t come. Curiosity won out.
Jace’s jaw ticks. “I got the same text. This is some bullshit.” The chairs are labeled Jess and Jace. He picks up a paper name placard from one of the chairs. “What, we sit down and get our heads chopped off?”
“We’re not getting murdered, and you know it.”
“We might as well be,” he grumbles. He’s been surly as fuck this past month. I haven’t exactly been in a great mood, either. At least the bruises on my face have healed quicker than his.
“Just sit the fuck down.” I pick up the card with my name on it and sit. The wooden chair next to mine creaks loudly as Jace drops onto it. He crosses his arms over his chest, his knee bouncing. Agitation radiates off him as glares around the parking lot.
I look around in anticipation of seeing Madeline. I know that’s who did this. Has to be.
I’m just hoping Jace comes around. Madeline’s leaving cut me, but I never let myself believe she wasn’t coming back. Jace, on the other hand... I’m not sure where his head is at. I know he’s pissed, but that’s his MO. He gets that shit from Dad. Jake and I were always more even tempered.
The familiar ache in my chest brought on by thinking about Dad and Jake blossoms, and I rub it away. They’re probably looking down on us, now. I can only imagine what they’d think about Jace and I falling in love with the same woman. And a Lake House District girl, no less.
I start laughing. I can’t help it.
“What the fuck’s so funny?”
“I was thinking about the first time Dad caught us with the same girl.” We’d been in our home garage, making out with Jenny Mitchell. He’d thrown up his hands and said, I don’t want to know. But at some point youse two boneheads are gonna need to get one for each of youse.
Jace’s lips pull into a reluctant, wry smile at the memory. “Yeah. I guess we never did grow out of sharing.”
Just then a picture pops up on the screen, and my chest aches for a different reason. It’s a recording of Madeline. She’s sitting in a high-backed armchair, her hands primly folded together over her crossed legs. I don’t recognize where she’s at. It looks swank.
“What the fuck is this?” Jace growls.
“Do you mind? I want to hear this.”
His jaw works as he clenches his teeth. I half expect Jace to hop up and storm off, but instead, he sits back with his arms folded.
“You may be wondering why I brought you here,” video Madeline says. She clears her throat. “Honestly, I was afraid showing up in person first might not go over well.”
Jace scoffs. “You got that right.”
“I’m sure Jace is two-point-two seconds from flying off the handle. Not that I blame you.” She looks at the camera with contrition as if she’s saying that directly to him. He shifts, his eyes narrowing.
“I’d like you both to know that what we had—what I hope we still have—wasn’t a distraction. Or a casual thing. It was a beginning. It was our beginning and I…I…” Jace’s chair creaks as he sits forward, hands fisted. “I was wrong. I shouldn’t have denied what we had was real. I shouldn’t have left the way I did. I messed up, and I’m sorry.” She sighs. “I don’t know how to do this whole relationship thing, and if you forgive me, I can’t promise that I won’t mess up again.
“Making plans and efficiently executing them is something I’m good at. This—” She spreads her hands and shrugs. “I have no clue. I don’t even know how to apologize. I do know I want to try.” She clears her throat. “I don’t know if what we have is love—though I suspect it is. Maybe we’re not there yet.” Her brows pull down, and she picks her nail in an un-Madeline-like fidgety move. “I have no idea... Okay, I’m going to cut this off and come out now. And, as this is pre-recorded, I really hope you’re both still there.”
The screen goes blank once again and then there’s a crunch of gravel that has us turning toward the garage. Relief and a sense of rightness settles over me at the sight of her. Madeline is more stunningly breathtaking than the last time I saw her, if that's even possible. Her hair is down around her shoulder in loose waves, which I always love. She’s in a black dress coat and heels, but she could be wearing anything and look just as good.
She smiles at us tentatively as she walks across the lot then Jace burst out of his chair. She stops, all her focus going to him.
“Jace—“
“I don’t wanna fucking hear it.”
Oh shit.
If he messes this up for me—for us, I’m gonna kill him.
JACE
This month has been my own personal hell. One minute, I want to wring her little neck for leaving and the next, I’m kicking myself for not making her stay.
When I drove up and saw this whole setup, I almost turned around and left. I goddamn knew she sent that text. It took everything in me to sit there through her little apology and not hunt her ass down.
I’m clomping toward her, but she doesn’t shy away or back down. Not our Mads. If anything, she draws herself up, readying for a fight even with tears shimmering in her eyes.
“What the hell is all this?” I bit out.
“Stage one of groveling and a healthy reconciliation,” she says, all hoity-toity.
“Why?”
“What do you mean why? Because I was miserable without you. And I’m hoping you were miserable without me.”
“You want me to be miserable?”
“Only without me.”
“You always get what you want?”
“Jace.” Exasperation drips from my name. Then I see it. A single tear trickles down her cheek, and I’m lost.
“Fuck, babe. Don’t cry.” All the rage and frustration riding me this past month bleeds away. I pull her in, cupping her face, and meld my mouth over hers. God I missed her sweet lips. “You really pissed me off, you know that?”
“Yeah.”
“You really missed me?”
She nods emphatically, more tears spilling down her face. “Both of you. I was an idiot for leaving the way I did. The entire time I was gone, I thought of you two.”
“I didn’t think there was anything here for you.”
“I was wrong. No career is worth losing what we have.”
“What a
re you going to do?”
Her lips tilt up. “After construction is done on my newly acquired building in Shelbyville? I don’t know. But I have an Ivy League education. I’ll think of something.”
“And you’ll be happy doing whatever?”
“Yeah. I really will.”
“Good.”
After kissing me again, she looks past my shoulder and breaks away, taking a hesitant step forward.
“I shouldn’t have left,” she tells Jess, who’s standing quietly a few feet away.
He stuffs his hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable. I know he’s in love with her, accepts it in a way I’m not sure if I’m ready to. But right now, I’m fucking nervous. Maybe as nervous as Mads who hasn’t moved forward another step. If he’s not willing to forgive her, I’m not sure where that leaves us.
“No, you shouldn’t have.”
“You were right about everything.”
“I usually am,” the smug bastard says. “So, what about all that shit you said about us being from different worlds? And you getting back to your life.”
Madeline
Taking a deep breath, I wipe my clammy palms down the front of my double-breasted black wool melton coat and shift, stepping forward. I can’t remember the last time I was this nervous. I want to run to Jess and throw my arms around him, but he’s not giving off a welcoming vibe.
“I still think it’s true, in a sense. We are from different worlds. I just don’t think it’s a bad thing anymore.” That was a belief my father hammered into me. Society, especially the one I grew up in, wouldn’t approve of me being with either of these men, let alone both. But I don’t care anymore.
“As for getting back to my life...that’s why I’m here. You two have changed me. My old life isn’t something worth returning to, and—”
“I love you,” he says, and my heart stops. “Whether you’re ready for it or not, that’s where I’m at, and you need to be okay with that.”
My throat tight, I nod.
“I know you’re not ready to say it, and that’s okay for now. I know you love me. I know you love both of us, or you wouldn’t have come back.”
“Jess…I do…I…” I swallow. Why is it so hard to say?
“Stop overthinking and come here, beautiful.”
I wobble in the gravel, and thankfully he meets me halfway. I practically fall into his arms, reminded of that first day. Again, his intense blue gaze scans down my body to my feet.
“You need more practical shoes.”
“These are Christian Louboutin Very Lace peep-toe pumps. They’re worth the risk.”
He shakes his head, the corner of his mouth hitching up. Then his gaze goes serious. He brushes his knuckles down my cheek and kisses me lightly, slowly, as if he’s memorizing and savoring every second of it.
“I knew you’d come back.”
“Does that mean you forgive me?”
“Are you going to let us in? ‘Cause, I love what we’ve got going on in the bedroom, but I want all the emotional, messy shit too.”
“You’re the only man in the world who wants the emotional messy shit.”
“I’m serious.”
I bite my nip and nod. “I’m ready. I’m terrified, but I’m in, messy shit and all.”
“Then, yeah, you’re forgiven...you know your ass is going to get worn out for leaving, right?”
“I actually prepared for that. Stage two groveling is in the garage.”
“How did you get into the garage?”
“Tony gave me the keys.” His gaze goes stormy, and I cut him off before he can say anything. “And before you freak out, know that he wasn’t swayed by my pretty face and smoking hot body—his words. I had to pay him off. Five hundred dollars.”
“You gave that asshat five hundred dollars?” Jace complains at my shoulder.
“It was either that or break in.”
“So, what does this stage two of groveling entail?” Jess asks.
I step out of his hold and unbuckle the belt of my coat. Then I expose myself to the chilly night air and their gazes—which have gone from soft and loving to dark and ravenous.
“You should have started your apology with this,” Jace says, eyeing my tits then lower. I shiver, but not from the cold.
“I didn’t want to make you feel cheap, or like all I wanted from you was sex. In fact…” I close my coat and they adopt identical frowns. It’s hard to keep my face straight. “If you prefer, I did really get us a movie to watch. Previews and all. It can be our first official throuple date night.”
Jace’s nose wrinkles. “Throuple? Fucking throuple? We’re not a throuple, honey. I think we’ve all got to be fucking to be one of those.”
“Whatever we are, we have a movie night set up.”
“Nu-uh, pretty girl.” Jess steps forward to open my coat back up and do a slow perusal of my body. “You’ve already got me too intrigued about stage two. Not to mention, I can’t sit comfortably now.”
I wouldn’t have made it through the previews. I’ve been naked under my coat for a while now, the silky lining seductively chafing my skin with every step I take. My nipples are beaded to fine points, and I’m more than ready to get on with the “making up” portion of the evening.
Jace sweeps my hair off my neck as he pulls me back against him. “If you want, we could make a movie.” He licks then sucks on my neck, and my head falls back on his shoulder, even as I laugh.
I huff a laugh. “My recorded apology is the closest thing to a movie I’ll be making.”
Jace glides my coat off my shoulders and down my arms then carelessly tosses it to the ground.
“Hey! That’s a five-thousand-dollar coat.”
The wind gets knocked out of me as Jace bends down and tosses me over his shoulder. “That’s too much to spend on a coat.” He slaps my ass, and I get a thrill out of being manhandled. The cool air swirling around me does nothing to cool me down. If anything, I’m growing warmer.
“With what we’re going to do to you, your coat is probably safer out here.” Jess shoots me a wink and leads the way to the back door.
The heavy metal door scrapes and creaks as he opens it. I can’t see the look on his face, but I know the moment he sees my surprise.
“What the fuck did you do to my garage?”
JESS
My garage is lit up with candles, and in the back corner is a stack of futon mattresses and fuzzy blankets.
Jace sets Maddie on her feet, so her body slides down his. She steps back on her ridiculously high heels, her face all flushed.
“I was going for romance and reconciliation.” She smiles at me all coyly. “It’s a love nest.”
“A love nest?”
“Yes. Love nest.” She grabs the waistbands of our jeans and leads us back to the mattresses, her round ass swaying and heels clicking with every step. “I read about it in a relationship book.”
“What else did you read in your relationship book, princess?” Jace asks.
Crawling up in the stack of bedding she turns toward us, a wicked gleam in her sparkling emerald eyes.
“Oh, I read a lot of stuff.” She goes for the clasp of my belt, unbuckling me then pulling the leather completely free. “Like, after a fight it’s important to not just say you’re sorry but show your significant other you mean it.”
She makes a little show of folding the belt. With a smile, she extends her arm, handing it back to me. I shrug off my jacket and take the belt.
With a saucy wink, she turns and drags Jace down on the makeshift bed before she goes for the button of his jeans. Wiggling her ass like a taunting challenge, she peeks at me over her shoulder, a smirk playing on her full lips, before dragging Jace’s zipper down.
He’s already got her hair wound around his fist.
I knead her delectable upturned ass as she pops Jace’s cock in her mouth. I give her rump a hard open-handed slap, and she squeaks.
“Hey,” Jace grumbles. “No biting.
If I feel teeth, I’ll be belting your ass myself when Jess is through.”
She moans at that, a tiny bit of honey pearling in her opening.
“You like that thought, pretty girl? Getting your ass belted by both of us?” I run a finger through the gathering moisture and try to remember this is supposed to be at least half punishment. Fuck, she’s already soaking wet. And I’ve missed her sweet pussy.
Stepping back, I take aim and whip her ass to a shade of red darker than her hair. One side then the other until all the beautiful pale skin is flushed and she’s sobbing on the cock in her throat.
She starts bobbing her head again when I chuck the belt down.
“Fuck, baby, just like that.” Jace is guiding her movements. She moans low.
I tear my shirt off over my head and undo my pants before kneeling behind her. My cock seeks out the warm confines of her pussy like a homing device.
I sink in, and she gasps. Her cunt is already fluttering on me. And I’m already thrusting, hard and deep. “You’d better not come, Maddie. You’re a dirty little slut who needs to take it.”
She whimpers and starts to come like I knew she would. I want to hear the silky rasp of her choked cry as she tries not to. I snag my fist in her hair, drag her head back and away from Jace, and reach around to strum her clit.
Her thighs tremble against mine. Jace covers her hand on his dick with his to keep her jerking strokes going as she comes on my cock so hard I almost blow right then.
I shove her head back down and release her to grip her hips and power into her. When Jace holds her down over his lap as he thrusts up into her, she starts coming again and I let go, pulsing in heavy pulls of my sac.
Panting, she falls onto her back, and I crawl to her side and pull her up between Jace and me. Where she’s meant to be.
I kiss her shoulder. The side of her head.
We all lie snuggled and intertwined until our bodies cool and our breathing evens. Then Maddie breaks the silence.
